Christianson, a Marshall native, is playing for people across the country, as a guitarist in country music artist Nate Smith’s band. Smith and the band will be performing Wednesday on ‘The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.’

“I’m anxious in all the right ways,” Christianson said about getting to play on ‘The Tonight Show.’ “This will definitely be a big first for everyone in this camp.”

Christianson said the band will be traveling from Nashville to New York City today.

Smith’s debut single “Whiskey On You” was released last summer, and has just spent two weeks at the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s country airplay chart.

Photo courtesy of Tara Diiorio Matt Christianson will be performing on ‘The Tonight Show’ as a guitarist in country music artist Nate Smith’s band. In the bottom photo, Christianson stands at right of Nate Smith (at center).

Smith, a Paradis

e, Calif. native, first started getting national attention in 2018. After Smith lost his home in the devastating Camp Fire, he wrote a song called “One of These Days,” which went viral online.

Christianson said his own path to becoming a professional musician, and eventually to working with Smith, started back in Marshall.

“I grew up in a very musical family,” Christianson said. His grandmother Lucille, and his parents Jim and Kim Christianson all loved music, and sang and played instruments, he said. After graduating from Marshall High School, Matt went to Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied guitar performance and majored in songwriting.

“Boston was where I learned that this is something I wanted to do,” Christianson said. He said his experiences at Berklee were eye-opening. “I met people that ended up changing my life,” he said.

In 2018, Matt and his fiancee Hailey Aguirre moved to Nashville. “I was just trying to meet as many people as I could,” Christianson said. He even started playing some gigs, but in 2020, the COVID pandemic made it hard to find work as a musician. “There were no live shows anymore.”

Christianson said he started working at a grocery store in Nashville to make ends meet. “But I’m very thankful for that job, because it kept me in town,” he said.

Christianson said he first learned about Nate Smith through a friend who had written a song together with Smith.

“I really liked his stuff,” Christianson said. When Smith posted on Instagram that he was looking for bandmates, Christianson said, “I thought, ‘You know what? I’m going to audition for him.'”

Christianson’s audition led to an invitation to perform with the band. Then, over the past couple of years, things started to take off for Smith.

“He’s really kind of blown up,” Christianson said. In 2022, “We started playing show after show after show.” Smith and the band even got to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.

“It’s been quite a ride, but relatively easy because Nate is an incredible dude,” Christianson said. “He really treats his team like family.”

“The band is incredible as well, we’re getting to have such a tight kinship,” he said.

While being out on the road performing is a challenging experience, Christianson said Nate and the band members work well together. “We’re all in this together,” he said.

Forming a connection with audiences has been one of the high points of being part of the band, Christianson said. Bringing people together was the most important part of their work.

“When we play these shows, it’s so spiritual,” he said. “You see these people’s faces, and – the music heals.”

Getting to perform on ‘The Tonight Show’ was going to be a big first, Christianson said. He said Hailey and his family have been very supportive, and are looking forward to the show. “They’re very excited,” he said.

“I’ve been blessed to have the family I have,” Christianson said.

Christianson said he has a big year ahead performing with Smith and his bandmates. Smith will be performing at the Stagecoach Festival in California, and joining Thomas Rhett on tour. He said he knows the music industry can change rapidly, but for now he’s enjoying the ride.

“I’m playing guitar for a living. Can you believe that? It’s the dream,” Christianson said.